As one of the least densely populated countries in the world, Mongolia can be quite a culture shock for travellers who have been accustomed to things like beds and hot water for most of their lives. Epic wilderness, untamed beauty and challenging travel experiences are par for the course when going trans-Mongolian.

Mongolia offers a real sense of freedom from civilisation but navigating the country independently can be both dangerous, frustrating, rewarding and overwhelming in good and bad ways.

From breaking down in the middle of the Gobi Desert to getting taught Kazakh dancing by drunk Muslims, we take a tongue-in-cheek look at how to make it through Mongolia alive…